9/21/2005

Contact: K.E. Schwab -- 724-738-2199; e-mail: karl.schwab@sru.edu

SRU’S ‘LOCKER ROOM OF CHAMPIONS’ TO BE DEDICATED SATURDAY

            SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. -- Slippery Rock University’s athletic department will dedicate its Locker Room of Champions campaign Saturday by saluting the 83 donors who have contributed nearly $125,000 to redesign and renovate the football locker room in N. Kerr Thompson Stadium.

         The 83 will be saluted during halftime as part of SRU's 6 p.m. football game against Lock Haven  University. Each contributed $1,500 to renovate the facility, which now houses 100 solid-oak lockers. Each locker carries the name of the project’s supporter. Seventeen lockers are still available for naming opportunities in the overall project.

         “We are extremely pleased to have so many former SRU football players step up and show their financial support for the football program and support today’s players,” said George McDowell, assistant director of University Advancement who oversaw the campaign. “The spirit they had as Rock players, and their spirit as continuing supporters of this football program is clearly apparent in their contributions.”

         “It took us less than two year to design, launch and complete ‘The Locker Room of Champions project,’” McDowell notes, adding this year’s team returned to practice in the fall and were able to make use of the facility.

     Contributors included Milan Tatala of McKees Rocks who played for SRU from 1931 through 1934, playing under legendary SRU coach N. Kerr Thompson and 20 members of the football team who played under SRU coach Charles “Charlie” Godlasky, and known as “Charlie’s Boys.” The majority of donors played under current coach Dr. George Mihalik.

 PN, WPN, PR